Foot manipulator



May 12, 11942. D. w. DAVIS 2,282,307

FOOT MANIPULATOR Filed Feb. 21, 1941 6 Jazzz'al Wjawly Patented May 12, 1942 UNITED STAT E rarer OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to a foot manipulator and is an improvement on the apparatus shown in Davis patent, No. 1,996,614, granted April 2, 1935.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device for expeditiously correcting weak and fallen arches and attendant defects as described in the mentioned patent. v

The feet, being the greatest distance fromthe heart, are usually the members of the body in which congestion first occurs, and the present simple device serves not only to relax the muscles, tendons, ligaments of the feet and legs, but also separates the joints and stretches the ligaments, and provides passive and active fiex'ion and extension, inversion and aversion of the foot, thereby providing a beneficial reflex action of the muscular and nervous systems and stimulates the general circulation of the body.

The present device provides a simplified means for easily and quickly relieving tired feet in the home and at odd moments and one which may be operated by hand or may be placed on a support, such as a floor, and held firmly by one foot while the other foot is being operated upon.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a foot manipulator which is composed of few parts and is consequently very inexpensive in manufacture, and yet which may be applied to a foot and operated to produce the desired results in a minimum of time. 1

Another object of the invention resides in providing a device designed in an adjustable manner to allow one to manipulate, massage, exercise and correct the feet and arches by producing either or both passive and active extension, fiexion, eversion and inversion, and rotation, and adjustments of the soft and bony structure of the feet.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in use when held in position upon the floor or other flat surface.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the device when being manually operated by the patient.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of that part of the apparatus which is used in retaining the foot in proper relation to the operative part of the mechanism, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of the presser member and related parts.

Referring to the drawing in more detail the numeral l indicates a base member which may also serve as a lever when the device is being manually operated. This base member is preferably formed of metal rod stock or heavy wire and may be bent into the form of a closed loop having a relatively narrow handle portion 2 and a wider base portion 3 with which the operative parts of the apparatus are associated.

Attached to the forward end of base '3 as by the loop 4 is a metal plate 5. This loop engages over an upwardly'bent 'portionffi at the forward end of the base 3, and the rear end of the plate is suitably secured to the rear end of the base 3. The intermediate portion of the'plate 5' preferably inclines upwardly and rearwardly and. is provided with a downwardly bent portion I preferably terminating in a flange 8 which is fixedly secured to' 'the-base 3 in any desired manner.

Secured to a flattened portion of the plate 5,

as by screws 9 is a presser member "iii; This member is preferably formed of sponge rubber or equivalent material ll mounted on a metal plate l2 andcovered by a sheet of "soft rubber or the like 13 which also engages about the plate The presser member is preferably more or less oblong in shape and has its greatest dimension extending transversely of the plate 5 as indicated in Figure 2.

In order to properly position the foot with respect to the presser member and to maintain this relation while manipulating the apparatus an adjustable foot covering or strap I4 is provided. The body portion of the covering is secured to the plate 5 and overlapping end portions thereof are provided with a button l5 and button hole It whereby the covering may be adjusted and shaped to feet of different sizes or may be adjusted to cause the presser to engage different parts of the same foot. It will be understood, of course, that the forward portion of the foot is inserted between the covering and the plate until the instep is in firm engagement therewith. A flexible member or strap I1 is secured to one end of strap-like covering M by means of a buckle 18. This strap I1 is adapted to be passed around the heel of the foot and serves to hold,

justed to the size of the foot or for the purpose of causing the desired portion of the foot to engage the presser, and the strap I1 is passed bones up toward normal positions, and relaxes the soft tissues of the feet, improves the circulation, exercise of muscles of feet and legs, and otherwise relieves tired feet and tends to return them to normal condition.

The device herein described is of simple and inexpensive construction, is easily and quickly adjustable to proper position with relation tothe foot desired, and may beeasily operated either manually or by applying the foot thereto while the device is held on a floor or other support.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what I now believe to be the preferred form of the invention, but it is obvious that various minor changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended that'such variations be included within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is: V g

1. A foot manipulator composed of a frame and a resilient presser member, an overlapping strap forming a boot for accommodating the fore part of the human foot, a flexible memberattached to the boot or foot covering adapted 7350; extend round the heel and attached to the boot memher on the opposite side by meansof adjustable fastenings, and a series of fasteners along one edge of the boot member or foot covering and a cooperating fastener on another edge of the boot member or foot covering afi'ording an adjustable means of fastening the overlapping straps oi the boot member to shape and accommodate the same to different size feet.

2. A foot maniplating or adjusting device comprising a base member formed of a heavy wire bent into the form of a closed loop to provide a handle at its rear end, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined plate secured to the base member with the lower end of the plate in contact with the base member, and a resilient presser member mounted on the plate at the top of the inclined portion. a

3. A foot manipulating or adjusting device comprising a base member formed with a rearwardly extending handle in the plane of the base member, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined plate secured to the base member with the lower end of the plate in contact with the base member, and a resilient presser member mounted on the plate at the top of the inclined portion.

4. A foot maniplating or adjusting device comprising a base member formed with a rearwardly extending handle in the plane of the base member, a plate having one end secured to the forwardend of the base member, the plate extending upwardly and rearwardly, a dcwnturned portion at the rear of the plate, the free end of said downturned portion being secured to the base, and a resilient presser member secured to the upper portion of the plate.

5. A foot manipulating or adjusting device comprising a base member formed with a rearwardly extending handle in the plane of the base member, a plate having one end secured to the forward end of the base member, the plate extending upwardly and rearwardly and merging into a horizontal portion, a downturned portion at the rear of; the plate, the free end-of said sdownturned portion being secured to the base,

a resilient presser member secured to the horizontal portion of the plate, and a foot covering secured to the inclined plate forwardly of the presser member.. I

' DANIEL W. DAVIS. 

